LOS ANGELES (AP) — Veteran guard Marcus Smart will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers after receiving a contract buyout from the Washington Wizards, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Sunday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Wizards had yet to announce their buyout of Smart. The standout defender and two-way contributor excelled for the rival Boston Celtics for nine seasons before spending the past two years with Memphis and Washington.
Smart will get a two-year, $11 million deal with the Lakers to join their supporting cast around Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Los Angeles filled its biggest offseason need earlier this month by signing center Deandre Ayton.
Smart was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 for the Celtics, who reached the NBA Finals that season and made nine consecutive playoff appearances during his tenure. He is a three-time member of the All-Defense first team, and he was a regular starter for Boston in his final half-decade with the team before he was traded to the Grizzlies in 2023.
Because of injuries, the 6-foot-3 Smart has played in just 54 games over the past two seasons since leaving Boston, and he averaged just 20 minutes per game last season when healthy. He played in only 15 games after joining the Wizards last February as part of a three-team trade involving Jake LaRavia, who signed with the Lakers in free agency this month.
Smart has never averaged more than 13.1 points per game while playing in more than half of his team’s games in a season, but the Lakers undoubtedly covet his defensive contributions to a roster already featuring strong scorers. Smart will have ample opportunity to play a significant role for the Lakers, who needed another strong point-of-attack defender after losing Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets in free agency.
Smart, Ayton and LaRavia are the major offseason additions to the Lakers, who lost in the first round to Minnesota last spring after their seismic midseason trade to acquire Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Los Angeles has managed to keep its core intact apart from Finney-Smith, even resigning backup center Jaxson Hayes.
James picked up his $52.6 million player option to return for his record 23rd NBA season, but agent Rich Paul has been vocal about James' desire for the Lakers to be a serious championship contender in the upcoming season.
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FILE - Washington Wizards guard Marcus Smart (36) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in Washington, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, file)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts promoted 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers to the active roster Saturday, making him eligible to play — and perhaps start — in Sunday's crucial game at Seattle.
Indy (8-5) brought the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist out of retirement Tuesday when it signed him to the practice squad. Rivers practiced all week but he hasn't taken a snap since what appeared to be the end of his career following the 2020 season.
The move to add Rivers to the active roster will take him off the Hall of Fame ballot for the class of 2026. Rivers had been picked last month as one of 26 semifinalists with the 15 finalists expected to be announced later this month.
Rivers will no longer be eligible with Hall of Fame rules mandating a player being out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers now can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.
The signing of Rivers came after coach Shane Steichen confirmed starting quarterback Daniel Jones would miss the rest of this season with a torn right Achilles tendon. Jones, who wore No. 17 with the Colts, had surgery earlier this week and now is allowing Rivers to wear the No. 17 he wore throughout his long NFL career.
Indy has lost three straight and four of its last five to fall out of the AFC South lead into a tie for second with the Houston Texans. The Colts also have slid into the No. 8 seed for the seven-team playoff field. The Seahawks (10-3) are trying to stay in the NFC West title chase.
The Colts believe Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowler who was the 2013 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and a 2011 Walter Payton Man of the Year finalist, can salvage their postseason hopes. Rivers still ranks among the league's top 10 in wins, career attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.
Alternately, rookie Riley Leonard could make his first career start. But he's dealt with a right knee injury all week, and the only other quarterback on Indy's roster is veteran Brett Rypien, who also was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster this week.
Indy also activated receiver Coleman Owen and defensive tackle Chris Wormley to the active roster from the practice squad and removed the questionable designation from defensive end Tyquan Lewis.
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FILE - Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers watches warmups before an NFL football game between the Chargers and the Denver Broncos, Dec. 10, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)
FILE - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus, File)
